No Choice
by Fallen Tormented Passion
Summary: Choosing to live your life by your own choices is the greatest freedom you will ever have
1. Chapter 1

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto**_

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**_No Choice_**

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"_It is your programming that has created your choices in the past. It is the choices you make today that are creating the programs of you future."_

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…_Repeating history and you're getting sick of it._

_But I believe in whatever you do_

_And I'll do anything to see it through_

_Because these things will change… - Taylor swift_

British International College – the place where one can become whom he chooses to be; it is the place where lives change for the better. A school of arts as some have called it; dancers, figure skaters, artists and musicians were born here, free to choose their own pathways in life.

This was what Neji Hyuga hoped to be true as he walked through the rather large and vastly impressive hallways of his chosen school, swiftly making his way toward the front desk in the main office. He had wanted to get away from his old life as soon as possible, jumping at the opportunity to attend one of the most renowned boarding schools in America.

It was a school for the filthy rich and extraordinarily talented, both of which he was proud to say he was gifted with, and glancing from side to side at all the students wandering the halls he would say that he had made the right choice.

A small smile crept onto his porcelain features, effectively softening his handsome facial expression. He was absolutely delighted to be here among his fellow people; the people who longed to be free and would do anything to obtain it, those who didn't care about what others thought of them, and those who weren't afraid to show their inner-selves. These students were exactly like those whacky artist beings who did what they wished. The art students were all painting happy, bright colors on the walls, the music students spread out on the floor playing their chosen instruments in a rhythmic beat, while the dancers gracefully gilded between the two afore mentioned groups, putting on the performance of a life time.

Catching the wide smile and the hand threatening to tap to the upbeat music, Neji returned to his usual stoic self and continued on his journey, hoping in the deepest trenches of his heart that his time here would bring out his ability to enjoy life to the fullest.

Opening and closing the door of the main office, he was met by a young lady with fire red hair and eyes to match, typing away on her computer. Her eyes lifted off the screen, recognition flashing on her face as their gazes locked, fire red meeting pale white with a hint of lilac. He had the most beautiful eyes she had seen in the past two years.

Standing up from her seat, she motioned for him to approach the desk, and pulled out a few papers, stating, "Mr. Hyuga please step forward to collect all the necessary documents."

"Neji." The young man corrected, suppressing the cold shiver that ran down his spine at the manner in which she had addressed him.

"Alright, Neji, this is your roster, your room key, and the list of text books you will need to pick up from the library." The redheaded woman said professionally, sliding the mentioned items toward him, while searching for one last item.

"Thank you, ma'am." Neji thanked, tucking the two papers under his arm, grabbing the key with his right hand.

"Karin." She corrected with a smirk. "Please sign the arrival record and your uncle wishes for you to call him once you arrive at your dorm." She continued, sliding the attendance record toward Neji. Clenching his jaw, pale white eyes narrowed as he signed the document and handed it back to Karin, who had by now taken her seat. Turning on his heel, he left the room with a dampened mood and a soft whisper, "Very well."

Sighing at commotion in front of him, he headed straight toward his dorm on the third floor, no longer interested in the happy people around him. He had a terrible feeling about the upcoming events, causing a deep depression and a feeling of hopelessness to settle over his being.

Knocking on his bedroom door, the Hyuga waited for a reply, letting out a breath of relief when none came, knowing that it would be best to make this call in no other presence then his own. Shoving the key into the lock, he turned the small tool and stepped into the room, closing the door with a soft click.

Noticing that his roommate had already chosen the left side of the room, he sat down on the right-sided bed with a soft sigh, throwing his key on his desk, glad that he had at least gotten the side with a window. Each side of the room had a single bed pushed up against the walls, a desk next to the bed and the two sides were separated by a small rectangular counter.

His roommate had dark blue bedding with black kanji written across it, his stationary laid out on his desk, in front of a picture with a blond young man and a raven haired young man, his bags nowhere to be seen.

Sighing once more, he pulled out his iphone and dialled his uncle's number, preparing himself for the worst. Getting his hopes up as the phone continued to ring, he immediately berated himself for such foolishness when his uncle's coarse voice answered, "Hiashi Hyuga."

"Uncle, it's Neji. I was informed that you wished to speak to me." Neji stated confidently with precise control he had mastered from a very young age, aware that showing his uncle any weakness was a big mistake.

"Ah Neji, I'm glad to know that you have arrived safely." He drawled. "I'm sure you remember the rules we spoke of. You are to return home every evening for supper, am I understood?"

"I understand, uncle." Neji clarified, keeping his hatred from trailing into his voice.

"Very well. I'll see you later." Hiashi stated, hanging up the line before Neji could say anything. Letting out a growl of frustration, he threw his phone onto his bed, willing it to explode as he glared out the window. He had hoped to leave his old life behind and start anew, but it seemed that fate had other plans in mind.

With a clenched jaw and balled fists, he ripped his eyes away from the students roaming the outside grounds, his gaze landing on the photo on his roommate's desk. Letting his curiosity get the best of him, he made his way over to the other side of the room, picking up the black and orange frame. Both men in the photograph were simply gorgeous; the one having bright blonde hair sticking out wildly at every angle, tanned skin and sparkling, deep blue eyes, shining with excitement. He had a large grin plastered on his face, his arm thrown around the shoulders of the man beside him. The man to his left had raven hair framing his beautiful face and spiked upwards at the back, pale skin, appearing almost ghost-like next to the other, and a barely noticeable smile on his lips, but his onyx eyes shone with the happiness he felt, his arm securely wrapped around the blonde's waist.

Neji smiled at the photo of the obvious lovers, wondering which of the two would be his roommate. Losing himself at the evident joy the two radiated from a mere picture, he was deaf to the man that had entered the room.

"What are you doing?" The man snapped coldly from the door, seeing a long-haired young man holding his precious photograph, causing said man to turn around with wide, frightened eyes, afraid of the consequences now that he had been caught snooping, coming face to face with the beautiful raven from the picture. The raven was even more handsome in person, the photo doing him little justice, causing Neji's stomach to flip with nervousness, an attraction starting by mere sight.

"You best put that photo down if you know what's good for you." The raven hissed with white knuckles on his balled fists, moving toward the man that had intruded in his personal space. Quickly doing as told, Neji put down the portrait in its rightful place, moving over to his side of the bedroom as horrid memories made their way into his mind. Gulping loudly – loud enough for the other to hear – he explained, "I'm sorry for intruding on your personal space. I was drawn to the photo, but I swear that I wasn't going to steal it or anything."

"Hn." The raven grunted too furious to answer in words, picking up the photo he had taken almost two years ago, he wiped off the glass as if to remove the touch of the other man's hands.

"My name is Neji Hyuga, by the way." Neji stated, trying to get the other man's mind off of the wrong he had done.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke returned. "Sorry about that, but this picture just means a lot to me." He explained, a hint of sadness tracing his voice. Taking a deep breath with closed eyes, he pushed the depressing feeling aside, he turned to Neji with an arrogant smirk in place, sharp onyx eyes wide open.

Glancing over the Hyuga's body, his smirk widened, noticing the physical attraction he held toward the long-haired young man. Neji was absolutely perfect. His hair reached his waist, tied at the ends in a low pony tail, a black shirt under the open white short-sleeved dress shirt, black jeans hugging his hips in just the right way and a black leather strap adorning his left wrist.

His clothes clearly showed his lean, hard muscles, but Sasuke was taken aback by his pupil-less pale eyes that were filled with knowledge and understanding. Shoving his hands into his pockets, the Uchiha took a step toward the other man and questioned, "You wouldn't happen to be blind, right?"

"No, and before you ask, it's not contacts." Neji answered just as arrogantly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Good. Do you wanna join me? Some of my friends and I are going out." Sasuke offered, walking toward the door with an air of superiority.

"Actually, I have to go to my uncle right now, but maybe next time." Neji said absent-mindedly, grabbing his phone and room key, following Sasuke out the door.

"It's you first day here, right?" Sasuke inquired and continued at Neji's nod, "So why can't you just skip it?"

"I have no choice." Neji bit out bitterly, knowing that he shouldn't be speaking like this in front of a complete stranger, but he felt oddly comfortable around this Sasuke.

"Whatever." Sasuke replied, climbing into the elevator, waiting for the doors to close, knowing that Neji would wait until he was gone. Just as the doors were about to close, he quickly said, "And Neji… you always have a choice."

"No, I don't." The Hyuga muttered under his breath as the doors closed, cutting off any contact with the Uchiha.

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_**Author's note: So what do you guys think? Is it worth continuing? And if you could please point out any mistakes that would be nice.**_

_**Criticism, thoughts, and ramblings are welcomed and highly appreciated. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto!_**

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**_"Learning what to choose, and how to choose, may be the most important education you will ever receive."_**

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_But we all bleed the same way as you do  
And we all have the same things to go through  
Hold on if you feel like letting go  
Hold on it gets better than you know – Good Charlotte_

Tick…tock

Tick…tock

Tick…tock

'Couldn't they have put in a digital clock?' Sasuke thought petulantly, growling in frustration as he glared daggers at the wall clock, willing the evil machine to explode, finally allowing him some peace of mind. Scolding himself for his irrational irritation, he tossed and turned for the umpteenth time that night, his midnight eyes immediately landing on the entrance door to once again check if the white-eyed Hyuga would walk in as if by some miracle, knowing that it would take a miracle to save the Hyuga's arse.

There weren't many rules here at the British International College, the principal finding that it was best to allow the students the freedom to choose; something that normal schools shunned from, thinking that the students were incapable of making the right decisions. Although the freedom and right to choose was wonderful, the three rules that were put into place were upheld to the strictest degree; these rules were simple, yet very effective.

High grades were to be kept no matter the circumstance, class attendance was to be perfect, unless the lecturer has been informed of your absence, and all students were to be in their dorms at 10:30 pm. The punishment for any disobedience of the rules being extreme, leaving Sasuke worried for Neji as he had broken the last and most important rule without any information about his whereabouts given to the teachers.

A prefect had found Sasuke alone in their dorm with the excuse that Neji was at his uncle's residence, while performing his nightly duty of checking if each and every dorm was in order. By the time a third prefect had been sent, Sasuke had resorted to acting as if he had no clue about the Hyuga, stating that he hadn't even met the man as of yet. He was borderline frantic about Neji's location as the clock struck the hour of acceptable terms for expulsion.

The image of Neji's reluctant and anxious expression had replayed through the Uchiha's mind constantly throughout the night, drawing him closer to the other male and leaving him to wonder about the hidden meaning behind his almost frightened eyes, before he pushed the thought aside, reminding himself that family issues were certainly not unusual. He found himself feeling disappointed that Neji hadn't somehow let him know what was going on, but he knew that the white-eyed male had no reason to do such a thing; it was simply the fact that the Hyuga reminded him of Naruto.

'Naruto…" Sasuke sighed mentally, shoving his thick duvet aside, looking helplessly at the clock that stated it was eleven o'clock. He didn't want Neji to get into trouble, somehow knowing that that was the last thing the man needed.

Allowing a small smile to soften his handsome features, Sasuke walked into the shared bathroom, hoping that some cool water would help clear his mind from the thoughts that plagued his subconscious. Ordinarily he wouldn't have cared about what a foolish new student did and would laugh at the idiot as he packed his things, but a small voice in the back of his mind refused to allow him to forget that there was something different about Neji; something that was buried deep within his beautiful, captivating eyes.

Looking up into the sun-shaped mirror, Sasuke frowned at the exhausted appearance the mirror presented to him, causing an irritated groan to slip past his perfect, full lips. No one else would notice the slight disturbance in his appearance, but Sasuke most definitely could, scowling at the narrow bags under his eyes and the way his shoulders slumped slightly forward.

Hearing a soft click coming from behind him, the noirette closed the cold water tap and exited the bathroom, coming face to face with a disorientated Hyuga. His movements were made slowly with stiff legs and tense shoulders as if he were in immense pain. Sasuke felt his anger flare at the thought of anyone hurting the frail looking brunette, immediately calming down when he saw no bruises or cuts on the beautiful young man in front of him, berating himself for responding like a mother-hen; Neji was not his responsibility.

What seemed like hours passed in uncomfortable silence as the two young men stared at each other, both wary about the other's reaction. Neji had hoped that he would return to a sleeping Sasuke, never having guessed that the noirette would wait up for him. Ignoring the warm feeling that enveloped him due to the thought of the raven's boyfriend, Neji took a deep breath, closing his eyes, only to open them when Sasuke questioned, "Where have you been?"

"None of your business!" Neji snapped as an automatic response, wishing that he wouldn't let his emotions control his actions when Sasuke flinched at his harsh words, but his rage seemed to be overflowing in the presence of the other male. He was angry at his situation, angry that he had to deal with it all on his own, and angry at himself for hoping that Sasuke would comfort him instead of judge him like all the rest; he was furious to the point of tears.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, slightly taken aback by the fury and tears that rolled off of the Hyuga. "Just thought that it would be nice to know what I had defended you for, but whatever." He muttered the last part, his heart dropping into his stomach as he climbed into his bed.

"Sasuke, I-"

"Just go to bed, Neji." Sasuke hissed angrily, interrupting Neji's sentence, slightly disappointed when the long-haired male actually obeyed his order. Sighing miserably, he ignored the silent sobs that escaped the brunette's lips, forcing himself to sleep, telling himself that it was the image of Neji's upset expression that had led him to do this; after all like Neji had stated: it was none of his business.

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**_Author's note: I would like to thank all of you who had reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. It really does mean a lot to me and keeps me writing. I had wanted to say something, but I forgot what, so if you see any mistake please point them out to me._**

**_Reviews, rambling, thoughts and ideas are very welcomed and much appreciated. _**


	3. Chapter 3

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto_**

**_"If you were given only one choice: To choose or not to choose, which would you choose?"_**

_You can walk away, say we don't need this_

_But there's something in your eyes_

_Says we can beat this_

_Because these things will change – Taylor Swift_

Stifling a yawn that threatened to escape, Neji Hyuga closed his tired eyes, letting the soft, burning feeling wash away as the air could no longer hit his sleep deprived eyes. After a night of constant tossing around and hideous nightmares, he had woken up at six-thirty in the morning with cold sweat running down his neck and chest, finding himself completely alone and, much to his dismay, Sasuke nowhere to be found; much to his dismay. He had wished to straighten things out with the noirette, but instead had been forced to miserably drag himself out of bed and prepare for the day – he wanted nothing to do with – in deafening silence; he had come to the decision that he would pick up his necessary text books from the library and head to the ice-rink to clear his mind on the smooth, welcoming surface.

However, his plan had come to a halt when he had accidentally gotten himself lost in the gigantic school, ending up in the mesmerizing Hall of Fame. True to its name the Hall of Fame was dedicated to the students who had accomplished the goals which they had set out to do, having returned with the fruits of their hard work. Small and large trophies along with a photograph of the student or group of students who had won the award filled the numerous glass cabinets that adorned both sides of the particularly spacious hallway.

The exhausted brunette had been gazing over the multiple awards in each of the four sections, abruptly pausing mid-step as a familiar face flashed by in the corner of his eye, shock replacing his passive expression. It was the same wild blonde hair, flawless, tanned skin, and beautiful sapphire eyes of the man from the picture Sasuke kept on his desk. This man who was not only stunningly beautiful, but had an entire cabinet devoted to his achievements alone, left Neji feeling his jealousy reach new heights and he wondered in frustration who this mysterious blonde was, guessing that he was the one occupying the Uchiha's time at this very moment.

Leaning in closer to the cabinet, the Hyuga narrowed his eyes, reading the name of the blonde on one of his many prizes: Naruto Uzumaki. It seemed that Naruto was an artist, specializing in the form of painting, and he had won several international art shows. Neji was surprised to say the least as he gazed at the pictures the cabinet contained, wondering how one person could possibly radiate so much joy, noticing the same happy expression and gleam in the blonde's eyes within every photo. His eyes moving down to the lower shelf, Neji frowned in confusion and annoyance as he stared at a photograph of both Sasuke and Naruto. The two were performing what Neji assumed to be hip-hop on stage as the lead dancers, moving in front of five other students, both shining with enjoyment and exhilaration; something the brunette noticed that they didn't show when separated.

Straightening out his body, Neji sighed miserably in tune with the beat protruding from the stage hall at the end of the hallway. Forgetting about the world around him, he turned on his heel, strolling toward the gold and black double doors, quietly sneaking in, only to be met with ear-splitting music. Giving up on his search for Naruto, the Hyuga became aware of the commotion occurring on the stage immediately before the music was turned off. Seeing as Sasuke was the cause of the trouble, Neji snuck closer to the stage, smirking when he could finally hear what Sasuke was going on about.

"…this is the last time I'm going to show you, Aliona. If you can't get it right then I'm kicking you out of this routine, am I understood?" Sasuke raged on, glaring irritably at the young lady with crimson hair, running claw-like hands through his slightly dampened midnight hair and heaving out a huff in frustration as he shook his head.

"I understand." She replied hesitantly, hanging her head low in shame, hoping to shift the Uchiha's impatience elsewhere.

"We can't afford any screw-ups." Sasuke snapped loudly, onyx eyes glaring furiously at every single one of the other ten dancers, letting out an annoyed sigh when he received fearful nods in return. Turning back toward Aliona, he questioned, "Do you remember what you're supposed to do?"

"Well duh… we've been practicing this for how long?" She retorted, earning an annoyed glare from the Uchiha. "I just can't get the timing right."

"I'm going to ignore that for your sake." Sasuke bit out through clenched teeth, moving to stand to the right of the crimson haired girl. "Every beat lasts for half a second, which means that you'll stay on the floor for ten and push yourself up on the last three before joining Julie and Lana." He continued, expertly explaining the routine with practiced ease, letting all the tension in his body flow out as he signalled for the song to start once more.

Neji stared in awe and wonder, gaping at the stage as Sasuke went from stiff prick to graceful performer in a matter of seconds, leading Aliona into a side glide across the floor. They twisted their lithe bodies, spinning on the floor in various positions, shooting themselves backwards into the air with their hands alone, landing perfectly on their feet before twisting away in opposite directions and allowing the music to come to an end.

Shouting in triumph over her rough patch, Aliona leaped up high, pumping her fist in the air and landing with relieved laughter escaping her lips, coaxing the other dancers, including Sasuke much to Neji's surprise, to add their musical voices into the symphony. Sitting back in disbelief, Neji stared with wide eyes as Sasuke high-fived the crimson haired woman, a stunning smile lighting up his pale features, leaving Neji to wonder why he only seemed to annoy the Uchiha or push him away as he seemed to do with everyone around him. Sighing dejectedly, the Hyuga watched as the raven continued to speak, "Now do that in the opening ceremony and I might just let you choreograph the next routine."

Gasping at Sasuke's words, Neji rushed out the room, mentally berating himself for forgetting about the opening ceremony, knowing that if Sasuke hadn't mentioned it he would have forgotten. Stopping for a second to locate the library on the school map, the brunette turned left, rushing through the hallways, until he came to a pair of army green double doors, hoping that he had read the map correctly.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, he straightened out his shirt and took a deep breath, opening the horrid-colored doors to reveal his desired destination. Rows and columns of stacked bookshelves were spread out in a strategic order, taking up so much space that a second floor was required. Large floor to ceiling windows served as the main source of light and tables, chairs, and couches were set out to accommodate the students. The checkout desk was opposite the doors, resting against the northern wall, standing in front of one of the large windows.

Rolling his eyes at the exaggerated size of the room, Neji calmly glided toward the checkout desk, immediately catching the attention of the few other students in the room with his grace, an air of dignity surrounding his frame; dignity he had been forced to use since early childhood. He would have preferred to not draw any attention to himself; an impossible feat.

Stopping in front of the desk, he gazed up at the old librarian. Her gray curls seemed to be soft clouds resting upon her head, her chocolate brown dress showing her skinny bone structure, and her purple framed glasses sitting on the edge of her nose as she read papers on the desk. Placing the list of text books on the desk, he lightly cleared his throat, effectively drawing her attention toward him, exposing the irritated scowl contorting her wrinkled features. He waited patiently as she stared at him with disdain in her eyes for what seemed like hours. Taking a deep breath, she placed the papers aside on the desk and rudely snapped, "What do you want kid?"

"I was wondering if my text books were available." Neji replied politely, ignoring the boorish way in which she had spoken to him.

"Name?" She inquired curtly, pushing her glasses back to their rightful place as she sat down in front of her ancient computer.

"Neji Hyuga." He answered, using all his willpower to keep himself from snapping at the awful lady, knowing full well that she had read his name off of the paper. Neji watched in annoyance as the old hag's entire domineer changed at the mention of his name; his surname to be more accurate. Her clearly irritated expression shifted to that of a fake smile and with a sickeningly sweet voice she replied, "Mr. Hyuga your books had been taken up to your dorm a good fifteen minutes ago."

"Excuse me?" Neji bit out angrily, resisting the urge to wince at that name. He had a pretty good idea as to why he was receiving special treatment and he didn't like it one bit. He preferred the grumpy old hag to this fake person, smiling down at him as if they had been friends since childhood. This librarian was no different from any other person he had ever met. They were all fake, being nice and giving him special treatment in hopes of getting on his uncle's good side; they only saw him as a stepping stone, not as a person and Neji was sick of it. He was well aware of the fact that the time he had returned to his dorm last night was grounds for expulsion and, yet, not one person had spoken to him concerning the matter.

Neji couldn't think of one time in his life when he had gotten into trouble. Not one of his teachers or care takers had ever yelled at him or even raised their voices toward him, stating that letting him do what made him happy would bring them closer to the infamous Hiashi Hyuga. Neji knew that his uncle was one of the most powerful men in America and so he got special treatment for his relation to the infuriating man. His scowl deepened as the old lady said, "The nephew of Hiashi Hyuga shouldn't worry himself over such petty things."

"Thanks." He muttered under his breath, snatching his list of books from the desk, furiously shoving them in his pocket as he turned to exit the library. Petty things? This was his education that woman was talking about and it had been there again in her eyes. The look of hope and selfishness that everyone seemed to shoot at him once they knew who he was; it was this look that made him feel like an empty object, born for the usage of others and then to be tossed aside when he was no longer needed.

His anger quickly dissipated into a deep depression and an eternal loneliness he had been forced into as a child. He had learnt as much as he could, striving to be the best in everything he did, but no matter how hard he tried to get them to notice _him_, all they saw was his surname. Since the age of eight, when the truth had been made painfully clear, he had given up on his hobbies and talents, only keeping the one thing that made him feel truly alive, like his existence was valid: ice skating. In those few minutes where his mind was as clear as the ice he glided on and where the crowd cheered him on because of his talent was when he felt the emptiness disappear, until they announced his name at the end of the routine and the people's cheers changed into pure selfishness.

What was the point in life if you weren't truly alive? What was the point in living if you had no choice in how you lived? Neji didn't know and was certain that he would never find out in this life time.

Holding back his tears of frustration, the brunette rushed back to his dorm, ripping the door open and slamming it shit behind him, he leaned back against the wall, finally allowing his tears to run down his cheeks. He didn't want to be here with a bunch of fakes, he didn't want to go home to the house of horrors, and he didn't want to be alive if his existence meant nothing to anyone. Choking a sob, he reached for his vibrating phone, wondering which drone wanted a favour from him this time, but stopped abruptly when a message from Hiashi popped up stating that he was to return home immediately. Anger and hatred replacing his depression and loneliness, he threw his phone against the wall with all his might, screaming, "All you do is ruin my life! I hate you!"

"Neji?" A voice questioned from behind, freezing him on the spot. This voice was soft, dripping with worry and concern, no hint of self-interest tracing in the undertone, bringing back his tears and the confusion he always carried around with him. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just be normal?

Turning around, he allowed Sasuke to see his broken and helpless expression, tensing for the upcoming remarks about his weakness, but was shocked instead when warm, caring arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace, promising protection from all his pain. Wrapping his arms around the raven's waist, he opened the flood gate and cried on his shoulder, his form shaking from his ragged breaths and sobs. In some part of his mind, he was relieved to feel nothing but understanding radiating off the Uchiha, finding a sense of peace as the young man rubbed soothing circles on his back and felt that it was okay to say what was on his mind, which was exactly what he did, "It's never me, nobody ever sees me. What's wrong with me, Sasuke?"

"Nothing Neji; there's nothing wrong with you." Sasuke answered quietly, feeling his own heart being pierced at the desperate need rolling off of the Hyuga's words.

Letting out a new rush of sobs, Neji tightened his hold around the Uchiha, feeling his beautiful words heal a tiny part of his broken heart, knowing that Sasuke really meant what he said. Trying to calm himself down, Neji took ragged deep breaths as they stood there for another ten minutes, each bathing in the other's presence, allowing Sasuke to move them onto his bed before pulling away while keeping his arms around his shoulders. Looking up into beautiful onyx eyes, Neji was reminded of why he was so attracted to the Uchiha. Unlike the other people around him, Sasuke looked at him, seeing him for who he really was and not for what his surname could bring to him. Straightening up, Neji finally noticed that Sasuke was wearing nothing but a pair of black pants with a white towel draped around his neck. Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, the brunette stood up and said, "Thanks Sasuke."

"Don't thank me just yet, I wasn't able to save your phone." The Uchiha teased, walking to his cupboard in search for the rest of his clothes.

"I have a spare in my bag. This happens a lot." Neji replied numbly, throwing the broken pieced of his cell-phone into the trash can before taking out a similar phone from the small pouch in the front of the bag, placing his SIM card and memory card into the appropriate slots, smiling weakly at Sasuke for his attempt to bright his mood.

Pulling a black T-shirt over his head, Sasuke offered, "You can talk to me if you want to, but it's your choice."

"It's fine." Neji declined with a sigh, feeling his heart melt at the warm words. "I've inconvenienced you enough for one day, I'm sure you would like to go back to Naruto."

"Neji… you're not an inconvenience, you're actually a life saver today." Sasuke said softly, walking back to Neji's side of the room, taking a seat next the Hyuga who was typing something on his phone.

"What do you mean?" Neji questioned, looking up from his phone as he hit the send button.

"I would have spent this entire day alone, if it weren't for you." Sasuke explained quietly, his mood dropping at a steady rate, feeling his guilt and loneliness return for a moment before he refocused on the Hyuga.

"What about Naruto?" Neji queried softly, his jealousy returning in full force at the thought of the happy couple they made. Why wasn't he allowed to be happy like Naruto and Sasuke?

"…Neji… Naruto, he… he died a year and a half ago." Sasuke explained seriously, feeling his pain return tenfold, knowing that if Neji wasn't here, he would have been unconscious on the floor or in the hospital by now; he truly was his saving grace. Uncomfortable silence filled the room as the Hyuga took in his information, feeling like an idiot for even bringing it up. He wanted Sasuke to smile like he was smiling in the photo on his desk, not this small 'I'll be okay' smile with far away eyes that made him look like a broken young child. He wasn't sure of what to do. He wanted to share his troubles with Sasuke, but never before had he ever told anyone what was truly in his heart, but today was the day he decided would break that streak as he hesitantly started his story, "…it's my uncle… I… uh… well I guess it's more than that, but I'm not sure where to start."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Sasuke suggested reassuringly, shifting into a more comfortable position on the bed while still being able to see the beautiful Hyuga, the red tainted cheeks and swollen eyes, making his attraction increase, knowing that people looked most attractive when in a vulnerable state. Nodding in agreement, Neji took a deep breath, moving to sit in a cross-legged position, to gaze into Sasuke's endless eyes as he continued, "Ever since I was young, people only saw me as a stepping stone. I wasn't Neji, I was just an object that they could use to get closer to my uncle. Not one person I have ever met has ever paid attention to me because they wanted to get to know me; no it's because they want to get onto my uncle's good side and my uncle… he… he is a horrible person; he just makes everything worse."

"Neji… does your uncle abuse you in anyway?" Sasuke inquired cautiously, already knowing the unwanted, horrible answer; he had known the answer since the Hyuga returned to the dorm the night before. The sight of the man, reminded him of himself when he was younger and his father used to abuse him, but Sasuke wasn't going to let Neji know this. The deafening silence that filled the room was answer enough, confirming Sasuke's suspicions, causing his anger and hatred for all fathers return. Letting out a deep sigh, Sasuke continued, "You don't have to go along with what he does."

"I have no choice." Neji yelled in exasperation, throwing his hands in the air as he stood up from the bed, pacing back and forth in the room. "You have no idea what it's like to live in fear of being abused if you do even one single thing wrong, he even does it for fun and pleasure."

"I lost my virginity as soon as I hit puberty. My father forced my brother and I to have sex while he videotaped the whole thing and, instead of helping, my mother just stood and watched, going along with whatever my father said. He abused me emotionally and both my brother and I sexually. Every night my brother and I would hide in fear of being forced to have sex with each other, or being raped by our own father." Sasuke stated softly, his head hanging low in shame as he thought back to everything his father had forced him to do. Naruto had been the only good thing in his life after he had been sent to America, but he was gone now and it was all his fault.

Neji stood in bewilderment, gaping at Sasuke like a codfish, not knowing what to say or if the Uchiha even wanted him to say anything. He would never have guessed that something like that happened to Sasuke, he seemed too normal, too okay with his life situation to have ever gone through something so traumatising. Standing in front of the young man, Neji placed his hand comfortingly on his cheek, saying, "I'm sorry and I want you to know that I'm here for you."

"Right back at you." Sasuke returned with that same 'I'll be okay' smile before standing up, stating, "Alright, time to stop whining like a bunch of girls. We both have to get to the opening ceremony."

"Actually, I have to go to my uncle now." Neji bit out through clenched teeth, shoving his 'new' phone in his pocket, reminding himself to go buy another spare phone for future use, knowing that his life was like one big cycle: get used by people, get screwed by his uncle, lash out in anger and then buy whatever it is that he broke.

"Please don't go." Sasuke begged, grabbing a hold of Neji's hand. "Stay and come with me to the opening ceremony."

"I'm sorry Sasuke, you have no idea how much I want to stay with you, but I have to go; I have never had a choice when it came to my uncle." Neji refused the offer, hugging the Uchiha, before quickly slipping out the room. 'I know what you mean, Neji. You were the one thing keeping me sane today… I don't want you to ever leave me side.' Sasuke thought sadly, looking at the picture on his desk with unshed tears.

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**_Author's not: Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and read my story. I know that it took a while to get this up, but I'm hoping that you will enjoy it. _**

**_Thoughts, ramblings, and reviews are welcomed and much appreciated. _**


	4. Chapter 4

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto_**

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**_"Another person's choice is nothing more than another alternative for you to consider."_**

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_Tired of lying in the sunshine_

_Staying at home to watch the ran_

_You are young and life is long_

_And there is time to kill today_

_And then one day you find_

_Ten years have got behind you_

_No one told you when to run_

_You missed the starting gun – Pink Floyd_

Panic. Sasuke Uchiha realized that he was in a state of panic as he bowed toward the audience at the end of their dance routine, his eyes frantically searching for a quick exit before someone stopped to talk to him. Letting out a sigh of relief when the dancers were finally allowed to disperse from the stage, he high-tailed toward his dorm at top speed, reaching the small room in a matter of second, thank the heavens that no one had spotted him yet.

Ripping the door open, he snatched his cell-phone and car keys from his desk and ran back outside, forgetting to lock the door he had just slammed shut. Sprinting across the lawn, the raven dialled a number, desperately hoping that his brother would pick up the first time. Sasuke skidded to a stopping front of his black Audi R8, unlocking the door with one click of a button before hastily climbing in and starting the engine, silently cursing when his brother's voicemail filled his ears.

Pulling out of the parking lot, he sped out of the school grounds, hoping that he wasn't too late to save Neji from that pathetic excuse of a guardian. He had done his research on Hiashi Hyuga, reaching the conclusion that the man was a complete fraud, acting like the perfect family man in front of any camera, when meanwhile he was raping his poor nephew; it made Sasuke sick.

He promised himself that he would do everything in his power to save Neji from the pain he, himself, had to endure and he would fulfil that promise today, carefully formulating a plan within the brinks of his brilliant mind. Finally, on third phone call, he heard his brother's hushed voice, "Little brother, I understand that we are on separate parts of the planet, but I have told you before, if I don't pick up you first call then I'm busy in an important meeting."

"Brother, I couldn't care less if you were in a meeting with the Queen of England; I need you help and it can't wait." Sasuke growled in reply, placing his phone on the passenger seat as it had finally connected with his car's Bluetooth. Cursing under his breath at the red robot, he impatiently waited for his brother's reply, guessing by the crashing sound that Itachi had just un-intentionally slammed his office door in his haste to reach a private location and Sasuke was proven to be correct when Itachi spoke once more, "What is it Sasuke?

"I can't explain right now, there isn't enough time, but I need you to give Hiashi Hyuga a call and tell him that I will be dropping by to negotiate the terms of agreement concerning your latest deal." Sasuke quickly explained, practically drifting around the corner of the local park. "

"Why are you trying to interfere with my business plans? You know full well that this deal will only proceed next month." Itachi stated with a tone of finality.

"Please Itachi, Hiashi is a replica of _that_ man." Sasuke pleaded, failing miserably to keep the pain from his voice, effectively softening Itachi's heart and washing away all of his objections. Sighing deeply, the elder Uchiha relented, "Alright, but there better be one hell of an explanation, little brother."

"Thanks, you have no idea how grateful I am." Sasuke muttered under his breath, swiftly ending the phone call before his brother could respond to his unusual words.

Knowing that his brother would help with his plan, Sasuke felt a small sense of peace enter his mind before he pushed it aside with another troubling thought. If he didn't make it in time, then all of this would have been for nothing, motivating him to completely demolish the speed limit. He berated himself for not accompanying the brunette in the first place, but now he simply hoped that Hiashi would fall for his plan.

Coming to a stop in front of vast, well-kept Hyuga mansion, the raven growled as the security guard took his sweet time in writing down the number plate registration and sluggishly made his way back to the security point to raise the boom-gate. Slamming his foot on the gas, Sasuke skidded to a stop in front of the porch, not caring whether it was an inconvenience or not.

Taking a deep, calming breath, he gentle closed the car door, regaining his cool composure. Quick and calculated steps were taken up set of stairs leading to the front door, Sasuke rehearsing his dialogue for the show of his life. The thought of showing any amount of respect to this man was enough to awaken his inner demon.

Knocking firmly on the white double doors, he waited for a mere thirty seconds before the door was open, revealing Hiashi Hyuga, himself, dressed in an all white suit. Smiling politely at Sasuke, Hiashi kindly greeted, "Welcome, Sasuke Uchiha, to my humble abode; I had just been notified of your visit. Please come in."

"Not at all, I was simply enjoying a delicious breakfast with a family member. Would you like to join us?" He questioned, motioning toward what Sasuke assumed to be the dining room.

"I would love to." Sasuke answered, a stunning smile lighting up his features, hiding his desire to rip this guy apart.

"Right this way." Hiashi called over his shoulder, playing the part of a perfect host as he lead the raven into a large, spacious room. Not bothering to reply to the man's fake words of kindness, the Uchiha's eyes immediately landed on Neji, who was sitting with his head hung low to the right of the head of the table. His heart dropped at the strong smell of sex in the room; he had been too late after all. Putting his acting skills into use, Sasuke faked surprise and stated, "Neji… I never expected to see you here. I thought you would be attending the opening ceremony."

"Yes well, I had been excused due to the fact that my uncle wished to discuss some family matters." Neji answered, keeping the surprise from trailing into his tone, wondering whether Sasuke's being here was good or bad, not noticing the way the raven's jaw clenched at the obvious lie. Taking a sip of his water, Neji barely had enough restraint to himself from spewing the liquid when his uncle worriedly queried, "You two know each other?"

"Not to a very far extent." Sasuke responded, taking a seat to the left of Hiashi, inwardly smirking at the immediate relaxation in the elder man's demeanour before nonchalantly continuing, "But he is my roommate at British International College."

"Is friendship the only extent to your relationship?" Hiashi questioned curiously, taking the bait to Sasuke's plan.

"For now." The Uchiha answered, making his intentions quite clear.

Am I to understand that you have romantic interests in my nephew." The elder Hyuga stated more than questioned, a strange tone entering his voice.

"Most certainly, you nephew has caught my interest where other's have failed." Sasuke explained confidently, placing his eating utensils down as he finished his meal. Turning his smouldering gaze toward the younger Hyuga, he smirked at the light blush gracing his cheeks. Looking down at his wrist watch, the raven gasped, standing up, "I will have to go over the necessary documents at home. I never realized what time it was."

"Alright, Neji would you please fetch the files and why don't you accompany Mr. Uchiha home." Hiashi" Hiashi suggested with a small smile, gazing at the young man, his eyes clearly stating 'Change first'. Nodding in understanding, Neji did as he was told and slowly made his way up to the second floor, ignoring the un-comfortable feeling of his soiled pants, leaving his uncle and Sasuke alone in the entrance hall.

Smiling politely at the demon in front of him, Sasuke stopped his urge to beat the crap out of the man while spewing some very colourful words at him. He would make sure that Neji never had to return to the horrible place, knowing that he was already emotionally attached to the young man. He wondered what Naruto was thinking of this situation as he watched from heaven; would he be happy that he was finally moving on or would he be sad knowing that he was being replaced?

Sasuke snapped out of his speculations at Hiashi's voice. He had been talking for quite a while and Sasuke had automatically added in words to keep the conversation going, but he had no idea what the old bag was going on about. Focusing on the man talking to him, he finally heard, "Please take care of my nephew. I do love him so much."

'Love screwing him you mean.' Sasuke thought with a mental scoff, wishing that it would be acceptable to smash the elder's face into the wall; it would definitely be an improvement. Smiling with a small understanding nod, he walked toward the door, hearing Neji's footsteps descending from the stairs. Waiting outside for the beautiful brunette, Sasuke balled his fists and clenched his jaw as he heard, "You finally came in handy for once in your life, you worthless piece of crap. Don't ruin this deal for me or else."

Deciding that it would be best to leave, Sasuke narrowed his eyes, physically forcing himself to stroll down the stairs, coming to a stop in front of the driver's door. How dare that filthy man call Neji useless! Not only was the poor kid sexually abused, but emotionally as well and the raven wouldn't be surprised the least if that evil man had physically abused Neji as well.

Sighing loudly as Neji came down the stairs, Sasuke climbed into the car, softly closing the door and waited for Neji to climb in. starting the engine he forced a smile toward Neji, before speeding off to his house, not giving Hiashi a second glance.

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**_Author's note: I would like to personally thank all of my readers for their wonderful support. Thank you to everyone who has added this story to favs and who is following it and to my silent readers and reviewers, you guys really keep me going. _**

**_Thoughts, ramblings, and reviews are welcomed and much appreciated. _**


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